Brownie Cupcakes
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These brownie cupcakes are the perfect combination of a chewy brownie and a soft and fluffy cupcake. You get the rich and moist brownie on the bottom, and a light, fluffy cupcake on top, all topped with the best creamy frosting!
You also love our pumpkin cupcakes that have an amazing cream cheese frosting!
Brownie Cupcakes
Who doesn’t love a good brownie? But brownie paired with cake is even better! And, it’s an excuse to have icing on top. It’s like our vintage cake that has a brownie layer on the bottom, but in cupcake form — and made for fall!
We made these brownie cupcakes in orange and brown colors so they’d be a great option for Halloween or a fall party! The orange buttercream frosting really tops it off nicely with brown and orange sprinkles.
Brownie Cupcakes Ingredients
This is a pretty straight-forward recipe which combines a brownie and a cupcake. You probably have most everything on hand in your pantry right this very minute, but here are a few items you might not have and should be prepared with before you start the recipe.
- cocoa powder – this is for the fudge brownies. We’re making these guys from scratch so a good cocoa powder is essential to get the chocolate flavor. Be sure to sift the cocoa powder before you mix it to get any lumps out.
- shortening – there are so many ways to make a good buttercream frosting, but one of the easiest, and one that gets perfect results every time, is this frosting which uses shortening.
- heavy cream – don’t skim and use milk here. The heavy cream adds to the texture of the frosting.
- gel food coloring – again, try not to skimp on this type of food coloring. Especially if you want a vibrant orange like we got in our fall cupcakes. You can buy gel food coloring at most craft stores, Walmart, and Amazon.
How to Make Brownie Cupcakes
- Start by preparing your muffin tins with cupcake liners. I like to use a good quality cupcake liner, one that is thick. It makes the cupcakes come out of the liner easier after they are cooked.
- Next, make the brownie mix and fill the cupcake liners with the brownie batter until 1/3 full.
- Now it’s time to make the cupcake mixture. Follow the directions and mix the cupcake batter until smooth and add the orange gel food coloring. Place a scoop of cupcake batter on top of the brownie batter until the combined total reaches 2/3 full.
- Bake the cupcakes. While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting. For the frosting you’ll divide the frosting in half and color one half orange, and the other half brown. Next, you have a choice. You can use three pastry bags or one. If you have three bags, I recommend using the three-bag piping method. It’s pretty simple:
- Put the orange frosting in one piping bag and the brown frosting in another piping bag. Cut generous tips in both bags and then place both bags inside a third pastry bag that’s fitted with a piping tip. Pipe as normal.
- If you only have one piping bag, you can do a workaround with plastic wrap: lay two pieces of plastic wrap, about 6 – 8 inches wide, flat on the counter. Place the orange frosting in the center of one piece, and the brown frosting in the center of the other piece of plastic.
- Roll the plastic wrap around the frosting, until you have a long tube like piece of plastic, with the frosting in it. Trim the end off of the plastic wrap, and place the plastic wrap with the frosting, side by side in a pastry bag, with the star tip.
More Fall Dessert Recipes
- Fun and easy candy corn fudge
- Pumpkin spice donuts
- 8 sweet candy apple recipes
- Pumpkin cheesecake with candied pecans
Brownie Cupcakes
Can it get any better than a brownie cupcake! What a wonderful treat. You get a brownie on the bottom, then a layer of cake, then the delicious frosting, and it’s just a great little treat, all decorated for Fall, and just waiting for you to make and devour these fabulous cupcakes.
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
For the Cupcake
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- food coloring gel orange
Frosting
- 1 cup shortening like Crisco
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 – 5 cups powdered sugar
- food coloring gel orange
- food coloring gel brown
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Start with the Brownies: In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, vanilla, eggs, and sugar.3/4 cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 cups sugar
- In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Blend together, and add to the mixer, and blend until smooth and creamy.1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners, and fill the liners about 1/3 full of the brownie batter.
- Next, make the cake layer: Rinse out the mixing bowl, and add to the mixing bowl, the sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla, and mix until creamy and smooth.1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 2 eggs, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and blend well, Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl a little at a time, alternating withe the milk, until all flour and milk have been added. Blend until the batter is smooth.1 1/2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup milk
- Add the Orange gel food coloring. Add 1/2 a teaspoon to start, and mix to blend the color. Add a little more food coloring gel until desired color is achieved.food coloring gel
- Fill the cupcake liners with the orange cake batter, to about 2/3 full, on top of the brownie layer. Place the muffin tin in the oven at 350 degrees, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- When the cupcakes are done, remove them from the muffin tin to a wire rack to cool. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely .
Make the Frosting:
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, blend the shortening and softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla, and blend.1 cup shortening, 1 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, alternating with the cream until the frosting is smooth, thick, and creamy. Divide frosting in half. Add orange gel food coloring to one half until the frosting is desired color. Stir well to blend.4 – 5 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Starting on the outside of the cupcake, squeeze the pastry bag down toward the cupcake, and swirl the frosting around on the top, coming up to a point in the middle off the cupcake.
- Repeat with brown food coloring on the second half of the frosting.
- Place orange frosting in one piping bag, and the brown frosting in a second piping bag. Cut generous tips in both bags. Place both bags inside a third piping bag fitted with a swirl piping tip.food coloring gel, food coloring gel
- Starting on the outside of the cupcake, squeeze the pastry bag down toward the cupcake, and swirl the frosting around on the top, coming up to a point in the middle off the cupcake.
- Sprinkle Fall color sprinkles on top of the cupcakes to finish decorating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving
Did You Make This Recipe?
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